Today, there are a variety of content distribution networks such as cable networks that utilize customer premise equipment (CPE) devices utilizing cloud based services, e.g., programming guide services, digital television programming services, on-demand services including video on-demand (VOD), MPEG video services, gaming services, and internet protocol services, to provide services and content to its customers/subscribers. By using cloud based services, the processing and memory requirements of the CPE devices, e.g., set-top boxes can be reduced along with the complexity and cost of the CPE devices. This is so because processing and activities that were once typically preformed in the CPE device are now being performed in network node and servers in the cloud in response to requests from the CPE resulting in reduced complexity and costs for the CPE devices. For example, programming guide information may be stored in the cloud and only provided upon request to a CPE device rather than being updated and provided to all CPE devices on an on-going basis.
Furthermore, customers' demands and expectations for services have also been increasing. The ability to bring ever larger amounts of services (e.g., cloud based services including providing content and information) in a reliable way to an increasing number of customers/subscribers cheaply and efficiently is an on-going objective of network operators and directly affects a network operator's ability to sustain its customer/subscriber base and overall profitability.
With respect to content distribution networks, e.g., cable networks, customer satisfaction is critical to maintain a customer base and requires that the network operate as close to optimal as possible and to avoid service interruption. One of the technical problems with providing cloud based services is that when the signal to noise levels on the communications/transmission channels are lower than optimal levels, cloud sessions will drop and customers will have an interruption in service. These interrupted cloud sessions will be noticed when a customer tries to access a cloud based service and is unable to or having already accessed a cloud based service such as for example, video on-demand service, and is exited from the cloud based session. In many instances, once the cloud session is dropped the CPE device will undergo a spontaneous reset or reboot in order to re-establish the connectivity with the cloud network. Service interruptions and spontaneous CPE device reboots are the leading reason for customer service complaints and dispatching of technicians to investigate reported problems.
From the above discussion, it should be appreciated that there is a need for new and improved methods and apparatus for providing efficient cost effective means for providing cloud based services without interruptions.